ESPN.com is ranking NFL players and counting them down (follow on Twitter @ESPNNFL) from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10 per day for 10 days. The top 10 on both sides of the ball will be revealed Friday, Aug. 29.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLRank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along. You can also follow along @ESPNNFL and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 90 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by determining which player had more ballots with the higher number (if players are tied, the player with three 10s is ranked higher than the player with two 10s; if the tied players had the same amount of highest numbers -- each with two 10s -- we moved to the next number: three 9s beats two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN fantasy, ESPN locals and ESPN Stats & Information.
Sproles caught 232 passes in three seasons with the Saints, 37 more than the next closest running back. Nick Foles, Sproles' new QB, finished 2013 with the highest yards per attempt when targeting his running backs (8.6).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
99
6.52*
Nick Foles | @NFoles_9
Philadelphia Eagles | QB | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 3rd year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN fantasy rank: QB8
Foles threw 27 touchdowns to 2 interceptions last season. That 13.5 TD-to-interception ratio was the best in NFL history (min. 200 attempts).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
98
6.52*
Reggie Bush | @ReggieBush
Detroit Lions | RB | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN fantasy rank: RB15
Bush had a career-high 1,512 rushing and receiving yards last season, and he averaged a career-high 5.5 yards per rush up the middle (between the guards and center).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
97
6.52*
Steve Smith | @SteveSmithWR
Baltimore Ravens | WR | Age: 35 | NFL experience: 14th year
2013 NFL Rank: No. 71
ESPN fantasy rank: WR43
Smith averaged 3.0 yards after the catch per reception last season after averaging 4.9 yards after the catch per reception from 2006 to 2012.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
96
6.54
D'Brickashaw Ferguson | @DBrickashaw
New York Jets | OT | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: No. 80
ESPN fantasy rank: Jets' projections
Ferguson played all but one offensive snap for the Jets last season, all of which were at left tackle (1,019 total snaps). The Jets averaged 7.0 yards per rush outside the left tackle last season, third best in the NFL (league average: 4.7).
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
95
6.56*
Branden Albert | @B_Albert71
Miami Dolphins | OT | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 7th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN fantasy rank: Dolphins' projections
Since Albert was drafted 15th overall in 2008, the Chiefs have averaged 5.5 yards per rush when running to the left, best in the NFL. Albert made his first Pro Bowl last season despite missing four games with a knee injury.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
94
6.56*
Matt Kalil | @Mattkalil
Minnesota Vikings | OT | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 3rd year
2013 #NFLRank: No. 59
ESPN fantasy rank: Vikings' projections
Kalil has played every offensive snap in his two seasons with the Vikings. He was drafted fourth overall in 2012 and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
93
6.58*
Jay Cutler | Team Twitter: @ChicagoBears
Chicago Bears | QB | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: No. 97
ESPN fantasy rank: QB15
Cutler had a 66.4 Total QBR last season, his best with the Bears. His 92.5 Total QBR in the fourth quarter led the NFL.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
92
6.58*
Andrew Whitworth | @BigWhit77_fndn
Cincinnati Bengals | OT | Age: 32 | NFL experience: 9th year
2013 #NFLRank: No. 90
ESPN fantasy rank: Bengals' projections
In 14 games with Whitworth last season, the Bengals were 11-3 and Dalton was sacked 1.7 times per game. In the two games that Whitworth missed, the Bengals were 0-2 and Dalton was sacked 3.0 times per game.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
91
6.60*
DeMarco Murray | @DeMarcoMurray
Dallas Cowboys | RB | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 4th year
2013 #NFLRank: NR
ESPN fantasy rank: RB9
Murray ranks fourth in yards per rush (4.95) but tied for 56th in games played (37 out of 48) among running backs since the start of the 2011 season.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)